Paint and varnish remover.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEL THOMAS M. DEVINE, OE CLEVELAND, OHIO,ASSIGNOB. TO THE OHIO VARNIS H COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ACORPORATION OF OHIO.

PAINT AND VARNISH BEMOVER.

No Drawing.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 21, 1911.

Patented Apr. 30, 1 912.

Serial No. 945,231.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS M. DEVINE, acitizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county ofCuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Paint and Varnish Removers, of which the following is aiull, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a composition of matter adapted to be appliedto a painted or varnished surface and s0 dissolve or destro the paint orvarnish that it may be re ily removed.

Dneof the objects of the invention is to give the remover such acharacter that a paint or varnish attacked by it may be washed cleanfrom the wood with water.

Another object is to provide in the varnish remover a. protectingcoating adaptodtonot only retard evaporation as it is being applied,but, by standing in a layer abcv the volatile constituents, prevent anyrapt evaporation when the material 13 standing in an open vessel.

' Other objects are to render the remover harmless to the hands of theoperator and non'poisonous.

- I accomplish the above objects by provida water soluble caustic, aseries of paint or varnish solvents and a thickener, the wholecombination being in such roportions as to be very effective inattacking and loosening the constituents of paint and varnish withouteing so strong as to injure either the fiber the wood orthe hands of theoperator.

The preferred composition for my remover consists of caustic soda orpotash, water, aicoh pibenzol, carbolic nc dand spemiac i. 'ggfiidier touse these in abut)- stantially the o 'oi vingpropcrtlons,namely: 4 oz.caustic soda or potash, 2 oz. water, 6 pts. alcohol, 8 oz. carbolicacid, 5 pts. benzol, 3 oz. sprmaceti.

The caustic soda or potash is preferably first dissolved in the water.To this is added thealcohol and then the catholic acid. 3 ounces ofspermaceti is preferably melted and dissolved in the 5 pints of benzoland then this mixture added to the former. If commercial caustic soda orpotash is used there will be impurities in it in the form of carbonates,which do not interfere with the dissolving action, while on the otherhand they are, of assistance in cleaning the surface of the wood. Forthe alcohol I prefer to use ordinary wood alcohol, though it is to beunderstood that other'alcohols may be used. Ordinary commercialspermaceti, benzol and carbolic acid are emplo ,lvhenrthe mixture ismade it is placed in glass jarsorbottles and is ready for use. In thiscondition there is on top a. distinct layer of a saturated solution ofspermaceti and benzol. This layer, while in the jar, is very cfi'ectivein retarding the evaporation of the volatile constituents. Below thelayer of spermaceti and benzol comes a mixture of the otherconstituentsand so much of the benzol as is not holdingthe spermaceti in the tolayer. At the bottom of the vessel are t e carbonates in the form ofprecipitates. Beforeusing', the vesselisshakcn to thoroughly mix thecontents; the remover, which is quite fluid, 'is then up lied to thepainted or varnished surfiace liy a brush or tag; the surfaceis thenpreferably loosened by theaction of a little steelwool, after which theremover and the disintegrated paint or varnish is washed ofi simply Thebenzol, carbdlic acid and alcohol are all solventsfor the constituentsof paint or varnish and, beingmixed together, not more vigorouslythan'any of them alone. The water in the mixture facilitates the causticgoing intov the solution. The caustic soda. or potash acts on some ofthe constituents of the paint and varnish. so that when the wash wateris used saponi-fication of the paint or varnish takes place. and thissaponifiidv maitclf-ldissolving leaves a mixture on the surface which ma.be readily washed off. The soapproduced by the .saponific'ation alsoassists in clean-mg the surface. The wash water and caustic raises thegrain of the wood just suiliciently to expel the filler, which issaponifie'd by the caustic and wash water. The result is that simplycold water may wash the surface perfectly clean of all traces of thepaint or varnish and filler and of all greases or gums. This capacity ofmy'remover to act on the paint or varnish so that not only the destroyedaint and varnish but the remover itself is entirely removed by theaction of cold water is u. very decided advantage over with cold water,leaving th't sur face clean and ready to be refinished.

paint and varnish removers which reqtrire more volatile liquids for theremoval of them and the destroyed paint or varnish.

It should be noted that in my composition the water in the mixturereduces the. solubility of the alcohol for benzol, and spermaceti beingsoluble in benzol and practically insoluble in alcohol, the spermaceti,with a portion of the benzol, forms a layer on top, as heretoforeexplained, the depth of this layer depending on the amount of water inthe mixture. That is to say, in: crease in the water increases theamount of benzol which goes with the spermaceti in the top layer. 'Afterthe contents are shaken up and allowed to stand, whatever benzol cannotbe dissolved in the lower layer se- :1 rates and rises with thespermaceti to t e top in globules. 1

It will, of course, he understood that tllilllgtfi may be made in theproportions given. I have found that a small amount of ammonia. say oneounce, added to the formula stated somewhat increases thecleaning powerof the compound, though ammonia is optional and may he used on not, asdesired Having thus described my invention, WM I claim is:

1. A paint or varnish remover, the constituent ingredients of which area comparatively large proportion of alcohol and benzol and acomparatively small proportion of, caustic soda or pot ash, carbolieacid, and spermaceti dissolved in a portion of the benzol and forming inthe vessel 9. protective layer over the other constituents.

2. A paint or varnish remover consisting of caustic soda or potash,rarbolic acid, alcohol and benzol, and spermaeeti in a top protectivelayer.

3. A paint or varnish remover consisting Of catholic acid or itsequivalent a solvent for-Paint 0r varnish and an evaporation retarcleradapted to stand in the vessel dissolved in a portion ot' the lvent as apro tective layer.

4. In a paint or varnish remover, the combination of a plurality ofsolvents for paint or varnish and a suli tnnl'e soluble in one of thesolvents but. not in another, the substance forming with its solvent aproteetive layer above the other solvent; or solvents.

5. A Water soluble paint. or varnish remover eonsisting of solvents forpaint or varnish constituents, a caustic alkali adapted to saponify withsome of sueh constitucuts, and a suhstanmsoluhh in onof the Solvents andadapted to Hoax therein on the rest of the slow-tits in the ve el andfrom a protective layer there wr as well as to retard evaporation llm".app ied.

(1. A paint or varnish r noner nsisting Of caustic oda or potash.t'ltllltlllt ul'itl or its equivalent. alc h l and bentol. and athickener in a top plmtocti mi-vi.

In testimony whereof, l hereunto atlix my signature in the piesence oftwo witnesses.

THOMAS M. DEYINE.

Witnesses ALBERT H. Bn'rss, J.. B. HULL.

